Great value for the money!

Physically wider than typical stereo components. Strange binding post speaker terminals.

First of all, let me explain my perspective. I am not an "audiophile." I will not spend $100 on interconnects. I am, like most enthusiasts, an audio lover ON A BUDGET! Unlike other reviewers, I will not rate this amplifier in comparison to amplifiers 10 to 15 times in price. I will review this amplifier like someone who want to upgrade their current system, but needs to stay within a budget.

For the money, this is a great amplifier. I recently bought a pair of Acoustat Spectra 1100's (electrostatic loudspeakers), and I needed a powerful amplifier to drive them. Despite what some people have mentioned about this amplifier's inability to handle complex/low impedance loads, this amplifier drives my ESLs wonderfully. Changing from my Sony intregrate reciever/amplifier to this amplifier created an amazing difference in sound. The soundstage widened incredibly. It was like I was listening to my music in a can before this amplifier. The dynamic range is so much more broad with this amplifier. It sounded as if I had added a powered subwoofer. The details in the treble and midrange really come alive in the music. Voices sound powerful, but not strained. To anyone who is interested in owning electrostatic loudspeakers, or who have a pair now, you must buy a dedicated power amplifier to really hear what all the hype is about.

As far as power, this amplifier is ideal for a small to medium room. Remember that ESLs are quite ineffecient, so if you use traditional cone speakers, this might work for a larger room. In my medium sized apartment living room, I can't even turn my pre-amp past it's 10 o'clock volume position without my ears starting to hurt, though the sound does not sound strained or clipped.

Physically, I have a problem with the width. It would not fit in my entertainment center, though my cd player, vcr, and preamp fit fine. The binding posts do not allow a pin speaker connector to go through the post. As far as looks, I think it looks wonderful with it's shiny black metallic paint with rack handles.

In summary, if you have unlimited budget, DO NOT buy this amplifier, because it will never be a Dynaco or a Mcintosh. This does not have a 50 pound power supply and it's capacitors are not "as big as a beer can" (but hey, most people aren't intimidated by the size of their capacitors.) If you refuse to buy anything ever sold at Circuit City (can you say Velodyne?), don't buy this. If you have less than $200 to spend, and you want a quality improvement over an integrated reciever/amplifier, I certainly recommend it.

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Sony Pro-Logic Reciever/Amplifier STR-D511

very easy to use and extremely dynamic. They can serve all kinds of speaker driving tasks.

I use two of them for dances. One night after pushing some large P.A. speakers for about 4 hours one of them over heated and went into protect mode. I let it sit for a couple of minutes and it was fine. That was two years ago and the amp still sounds as good as my newest one.

These amps are the best power amplifiers for the price. I have four of them and I use them to run all sorts of speakers. I use three of them for my full range 6 channel surround speakers. I use the other to power 4 - 15" subwoofers at 2 ohms per channel (400 watts at 2 ohms) and it handles it fine. To say it won't handle a low impedence is a lie. I've been pushing these 15's for three years now without any problem. These amps are really well built and offer very clean power( less than .07% THD from 20Hz to 20KHz). They work best with a lower impedence as they put out more power.

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outlaw audio, harman/kardon, qsc, Sherwood, sony

This little amp has plenty of amp lots of current. Very good transient response, deep bass, a pretty warm sounding for an inexpensive amp. I love it!

can t use the A B speaker switch separately with out having the pre amp that goes with it

This amp is very clean and produces very tight accurate bass that decays rather quickly. I have a set of 4 ohm DX 9 Cerwin Vegas 400 watts each and it pushes them rather well. I also have a set of Mach Three 15 s made by Radio Shack for my rears which are 8 ohms and rated at 160 watts each that little amp pushes those speakers so hard on some sogs to where the woofers voice coil makes a cracking sound because it s being overexcurted, but it stays clean. I wouldn t trade it for no other amp in its class. But right now I M in search of a M 504 or M 508 just can t find any.

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You name I m sure I ve heard it

Price and power

No power reserve, dynamic range

I bought this amp when my Carver 1.5t died. I had that amp for several years driving Acoustat 1+1's. The 501 drove these speakers fine, but lacked the dynamic range that the Carver had (and the carver is more than twice the rated power). Even at low listening levels, the dynamic range seemed slightly compressed. Playing it moderately loud in (in an average room), the music, although there, didn't come 'alive'. I listen to CD's and analog. It did a good job of presenting the music, but I could not get involved in it. Still, for the price, it was good. Compared to my Counterpoint SA220, which has 'only' 50watts per channel more power, there is no comparision. The SA220's power supply weighs more than the entire 501. The capacitors are like beer cans. And the dynamic range is there. Soundstage, instrument timbre and all those 'audiophile' terms are there. The M501 will be good in a nice mid-fi system (I had it hooked up to a Denon preamp). Better than what you will find in a lot of those "all-in-one" racks.

Similar Products Used:

Carver 1.5t, Counterpoint SA220

power, price

none so far

excellent amp for the money, I got it for 249 at j&r, it's not as smooth as the 504, but it's alot cheaper also. A very good amp for the $$$

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onkyo 504

Good looks, low price, headphone jack.

Very poor build quality; inability to run 2 sets of speakers despite multi-speaker switches ( a useless feature),inability to drive low impedeance loads, very poor transient response, poor bass control.

DO NOT THROW YOUR MONEY AWAY!! Even though this amp has the audiophile"high end look" with it's rack handles, it is no better than your average, mid-fi, receiver, ala circuit city. This unit had cheesy and noisy speaker switches, despite it's high power rating could not reproduce organ pedal notes, and was average sound at best. The same goes for the matching preamp "P-301" which was loaded with noise.
I fell for the neat look and mail order low price.

I just bought an Audio Refinement {995$ retail}. It's the difference between black & white; and color t.v. The Audio Refinement wipes it out.

Just trying to save you grief and money. By the way these Onkyo's frequently show up on ebay and Audiogon for less than 1/2 their purchase price.

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I tried NAD which was much better, and now use the Audio refinement Complete (YBA design & manufacture) which wiped out the Onkyo System.